Friday, 26 February 2010
Parasites in expat paradise
This so truely rings a bell, many of us Expats have been in the same situation.
Parasites in expat paradise – Telegraph Blogs
Parasites in expat paradise – Telegraph Blogs
Monday, 22 February 2010
High levels of vitamin D in older people can reduce heart disease and diabetes
Middle aged and elderly people with high levels of vitamin D could reduce their chances of developing heart disease or diabetes by 43%, according to researchers at the University of Warwick.
A team of researchers at Warwick Medical School carried out a systematic literature review of studies examining vitamin D and cardiometabolic disorders. Cardiometabolic disorders include cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in some foods and is also produced when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis. Fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel are good sources of vitamin D, and it is also available as a dietary supplement.
Read the full article in Science Daily: High levels of vitamin D in older people can reduce heart disease and diabetes
A team of researchers at Warwick Medical School carried out a systematic literature review of studies examining vitamin D and cardiometabolic disorders. Cardiometabolic disorders include cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in some foods and is also produced when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis. Fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel are good sources of vitamin D, and it is also available as a dietary supplement.
Read the full article in Science Daily: High levels of vitamin D in older people can reduce heart disease and diabetes
Saturday, 20 February 2010
THE PSOE PROPOSES MEDICAL CONSULTING ROOMS FOR ORIHUELA COSTA
The PSOE Councilor Rosa Martínez in a press conference this morning presented a motion that she will present in the monthly plenary of the Ayuntamiento next Tuesday (23rd February) in which she will propose the creation of medical consulting rooms in various areas of Orihuela Costa, like those established in the majority of pedanías (districts) in the municipality. In the coastal area of Orihuela there is just one Centro de Salud, with more than twenty thousand people with SIP cards. Some of the populated areas have more than three thousand inhabitants, and it can be more than ten kilometres to the saturated health centre of Orihuela Costa.
Rosa Martínez, PSOE Councilor, will propose at the plenary session of the Ayuntamiento of Orihuela, that medical consulting rooms are created in some parts of the coastal area. Martínez specified that the Orihuela Costa Health Centre has more than twenty thousand permanent clients on it’s books, and many more because of the floating population, and this increases further in holiday periods.
At the same time, the socialist councillor stated that there are population centres more than ten kilometres from the saturated Orihuela Costa Health Center.
Also a great number of users are of advanced age. The PSOE representative reported that in many of the pedanías there are medical centres for fewer inhabitants and also with less of a distance to the city’s medical centers than from the coastal urbanisations to the health centre on the coast.
An example was presented by councilor Martínez, a consulting room such as that of la Murada, a population centre with three thousand inhabitants and ten kilometers from the city, there they have a consulting room, whereas in urbanisation ‘Las Piscinas’, with the same population and more kilometres there is no consulting room, and bearing in mind that at certain points of the year the population is doubled.
An area meriting special attention, according to Rosa Martínez, is the Urbanización ‘Entre Naranjos’, this depends on the consulting room in Torremendo, and with more than a thousand inhabitants, the coucillor proposes the creation of a consulting room for this urbanisationion , situated on the road to Los Montesinos .
The PSOE councilor concluded her presentation by noting, that it takes hardly two months from authorisation in the council plenary to the construction of more than two thousand houses in the coastal zone:
“That is a town,”she said“, and if they are courageous enough to permit the construction of houses, they must also do something about providing services to those who live there”.
Rosa Martínez, PSOE Councilor, will propose at the plenary session of the Ayuntamiento of Orihuela, that medical consulting rooms are created in some parts of the coastal area. Martínez specified that the Orihuela Costa Health Centre has more than twenty thousand permanent clients on it’s books, and many more because of the floating population, and this increases further in holiday periods.
At the same time, the socialist councillor stated that there are population centres more than ten kilometres from the saturated Orihuela Costa Health Center.
Also a great number of users are of advanced age. The PSOE representative reported that in many of the pedanías there are medical centres for fewer inhabitants and also with less of a distance to the city’s medical centers than from the coastal urbanisations to the health centre on the coast.
An example was presented by councilor Martínez, a consulting room such as that of la Murada, a population centre with three thousand inhabitants and ten kilometers from the city, there they have a consulting room, whereas in urbanisation ‘Las Piscinas’, with the same population and more kilometres there is no consulting room, and bearing in mind that at certain points of the year the population is doubled.
An area meriting special attention, according to Rosa Martínez, is the Urbanización ‘Entre Naranjos’, this depends on the consulting room in Torremendo, and with more than a thousand inhabitants, the coucillor proposes the creation of a consulting room for this urbanisationion , situated on the road to Los Montesinos .
The PSOE councilor concluded her presentation by noting, that it takes hardly two months from authorisation in the council plenary to the construction of more than two thousand houses in the coastal zone:
“That is a town,”she said“, and if they are courageous enough to permit the construction of houses, they must also do something about providing services to those who live there”.
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Anger as 65,000 expats claiming winter fuel payments
Here we go again, knocking the Expats!
Not all of us Expats that are over 60 living outside UK receive the allowance. Even if we are still paying tax in the UK we are not entitled to claim the allowance, and we don't!!!!!
Possible solutions to reduce the costs of the allowance could be to make it a means tested payment, as with pension credits; to make it only payable to those in receipt of state pension.
Of course a much easier way would be to pay an increased state pension so as to remove those less well off pensioners from being in a situation of fuel poverty.
Perhaps it might be possible for a system to be instigated whereby the power companies could claim the allowance direct from the government for their, power companies, customers who are entitled to the allowance and registered as such.
Winter fuel bonanza for 64,000 expats in Europe - Times Online
Not all of us Expats that are over 60 living outside UK receive the allowance. Even if we are still paying tax in the UK we are not entitled to claim the allowance, and we don't!!!!!
Possible solutions to reduce the costs of the allowance could be to make it a means tested payment, as with pension credits; to make it only payable to those in receipt of state pension.
Of course a much easier way would be to pay an increased state pension so as to remove those less well off pensioners from being in a situation of fuel poverty.
Perhaps it might be possible for a system to be instigated whereby the power companies could claim the allowance direct from the government for their, power companies, customers who are entitled to the allowance and registered as such.
Winter fuel bonanza for 64,000 expats in Europe - Times Online
Signing up to ask the Prime Minister to Stop degrading our soldiers by handing out medals to MP's
MP's do not deserve medals for just visiting Afghan or Iraq.
If they want a medal they should do at least 6 months frontline service - just like all the brave soldiers out there. Start making medals for the families who have lost their loved ones, the people who have served their country and are no longer able to be in active service.
These medals that are being handed out are a disgrace and it makes a mockery of the boys & girls who still await their medals months after their tours.
Please consider signing the following petition:
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Stop degrading our soldiers by handing out medals to MP's
If they want a medal they should do at least 6 months frontline service - just like all the brave soldiers out there. Start making medals for the families who have lost their loved ones, the people who have served their country and are no longer able to be in active service.
These medals that are being handed out are a disgrace and it makes a mockery of the boys & girls who still await their medals months after their tours.
Please consider signing the following petition:
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Stop degrading our soldiers by handing out medals to MP's
Monday, 15 February 2010
Online voyeurs flock to the random thrills of Chatroulette
I've had a look at the Chatroulette site as a result of this article but I'm not brave enough yet to press the 'Next' button.
Online voyeurs flock to the random thrills of Chatroulette | Technology | The Observer
Post Script:
In the article above it states that the originator of the Chatroulette site is unknown. this has now changed, a Russian teenager has now been identified as the creator of Chatroulette.com, one of the hottest -- and most unusual -- new websites on the Internet. The New York Times reported that Andrey Ternovskiy, a 17-year-old high school student in Moscow, is the founder of Chatroulette, which generates a live webcam connection between a user and a random stranger.
Online voyeurs flock to the random thrills of Chatroulette | Technology | The Observer
Post Script:
In the article above it states that the originator of the Chatroulette site is unknown. this has now changed, a Russian teenager has now been identified as the creator of Chatroulette.com, one of the hottest -- and most unusual -- new websites on the Internet. The New York Times reported that Andrey Ternovskiy, a 17-year-old high school student in Moscow, is the founder of Chatroulette, which generates a live webcam connection between a user and a random stranger.
More than 15% of Spaniards Buy on the Internet
15.7 percent of Spanish citizens used the Internet to make a purchase in the last three months.
Although this rate has almost tripled in the last five years it remains far from the European average.
According to the EAE Business School, the proportion of citizens of the European Union (EU) who have used the internet to purchase products or services over the last three months has increased from 15 percent in 2004 to 28 percent last year. In Spain, over the same period this proportion has risen from 5.5 percent to 15.7 percent.
Of the EU countries the most advanced in the use of electronic commerce are United Kingdom (58%), Norway (54%), Denmark (50%), Netherlands (49%), Luxembourg (46%), Sweden and Germany (45% ) and Finland (37%).
Conversly at the other end of the scale are Romania (2%), Bulgaria (3%), Lithuania (6%), Greece, Italy and Latvia (8%), Hungary (9%) and Portugal (10%).
The main reason given by the Spanish for not shopping via the internet is that they prefer to shop in person in a traditional retail outlet (31% of respondents). Other barriers to the use of electronic commerce are concerns about the safety of the methods of payment (23%) and fear of not receiving the goods or being able to return them.
Of the 8 million Spanish who have shopped online in the last year, nearly half did so in relation to holidays to reserve holiday accommodation (48.1%) or other travel related services (49.9%). Other products that are purchased over the Web are for show tickets (36.4%), sports equipment and clothing (21.5%), books, magazines and newspapers (19.6%), household goods ( 18.1%) and electronic equipment (18%).
Some of the benefits that users see in e-commerce is the availability of a wide variety of products and services (67% of respondents) and lower prices (75.9%), and its usefulness to save time or purchase at any time (72%). there is also the benefit of being able to purchase items not available in the locality where the user lives.
Although this rate has almost tripled in the last five years it remains far from the European average.
According to the EAE Business School, the proportion of citizens of the European Union (EU) who have used the internet to purchase products or services over the last three months has increased from 15 percent in 2004 to 28 percent last year. In Spain, over the same period this proportion has risen from 5.5 percent to 15.7 percent.
Of the EU countries the most advanced in the use of electronic commerce are United Kingdom (58%), Norway (54%), Denmark (50%), Netherlands (49%), Luxembourg (46%), Sweden and Germany (45% ) and Finland (37%).
Conversly at the other end of the scale are Romania (2%), Bulgaria (3%), Lithuania (6%), Greece, Italy and Latvia (8%), Hungary (9%) and Portugal (10%).
The main reason given by the Spanish for not shopping via the internet is that they prefer to shop in person in a traditional retail outlet (31% of respondents). Other barriers to the use of electronic commerce are concerns about the safety of the methods of payment (23%) and fear of not receiving the goods or being able to return them.
Of the 8 million Spanish who have shopped online in the last year, nearly half did so in relation to holidays to reserve holiday accommodation (48.1%) or other travel related services (49.9%). Other products that are purchased over the Web are for show tickets (36.4%), sports equipment and clothing (21.5%), books, magazines and newspapers (19.6%), household goods ( 18.1%) and electronic equipment (18%).
Some of the benefits that users see in e-commerce is the availability of a wide variety of products and services (67% of respondents) and lower prices (75.9%), and its usefulness to save time or purchase at any time (72%). there is also the benefit of being able to purchase items not available in the locality where the user lives.
Thursday, 11 February 2010
How to bully your neighbours
This extract from the blog article by Ann Nicholas under the pseudonym of 'Majorcan Pearls', is it true of the Spanish mentality?
"There’s a very good game in Spain known as denunciación, literally denunciation, which whole communities enjoy. No one knows for sure of its origins but it’s likely to hark back to the days of the Spanish Inquisition and was enthusiastically revived in the thirties by General Franco during the Spanish Civil War.
Want to settle an old score? Jealous of another’s prosperity? Then look no further than the town hall or police station for vengeance. By filling out a denunciation form, in effect seeking public condemnation of an individual, it is easy to set the wheels in motion to reek revenge on just about anyone who causes irritation. And don’t be fooled into thinking that nearest and dearest are exempt. Recently a local tiler told me that he’d just denounced his brother for constructing a small outhouse in his garden without first gaining a building licence. When I questioned his motives, he admitted it was to get even with his brother for a past misdemeanour.
Not surprisingly, the act of public condemnation is most widely used against neighbours for intimidation purposes. If music is played too often, a dog’s bark is too loud, a garden hedge too high, an outhouse or garage built or extended without permission, only one word is necessary to strike terror in a neighbour’s heart: Denunciación.
Once the complaint has been filed, the accused will be contacted by a council official who will arrange a visit to the offending premises. Depending on the gravity of the ‘crime’, a heavy fine will be issued or worse, a demolition order for any illegal construction. An animal can also be condemned to death for offences such as mauling a neighbour’s sheep, a regular occurrence in the rural zones."
The full article can be read here: How to bully your neighbours – Telegraph Blogs.
It does not seem that the UK Expat community has taken up this game whole heartedly yet, although some are learning. More often or not their first dipping of their toes in the pool are against the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall)in respect of a failure of public services. Next they will try against the neighbour with the noisy dog. Where next after that?
"There’s a very good game in Spain known as denunciación, literally denunciation, which whole communities enjoy. No one knows for sure of its origins but it’s likely to hark back to the days of the Spanish Inquisition and was enthusiastically revived in the thirties by General Franco during the Spanish Civil War.
Want to settle an old score? Jealous of another’s prosperity? Then look no further than the town hall or police station for vengeance. By filling out a denunciation form, in effect seeking public condemnation of an individual, it is easy to set the wheels in motion to reek revenge on just about anyone who causes irritation. And don’t be fooled into thinking that nearest and dearest are exempt. Recently a local tiler told me that he’d just denounced his brother for constructing a small outhouse in his garden without first gaining a building licence. When I questioned his motives, he admitted it was to get even with his brother for a past misdemeanour.
Not surprisingly, the act of public condemnation is most widely used against neighbours for intimidation purposes. If music is played too often, a dog’s bark is too loud, a garden hedge too high, an outhouse or garage built or extended without permission, only one word is necessary to strike terror in a neighbour’s heart: Denunciación.
Once the complaint has been filed, the accused will be contacted by a council official who will arrange a visit to the offending premises. Depending on the gravity of the ‘crime’, a heavy fine will be issued or worse, a demolition order for any illegal construction. An animal can also be condemned to death for offences such as mauling a neighbour’s sheep, a regular occurrence in the rural zones."
The full article can be read here: How to bully your neighbours – Telegraph Blogs.
It does not seem that the UK Expat community has taken up this game whole heartedly yet, although some are learning. More often or not their first dipping of their toes in the pool are against the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall)in respect of a failure of public services. Next they will try against the neighbour with the noisy dog. Where next after that?
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Atheists 'just as ethical as churchgoers' - Telegraph
Atheists 'just as ethical as churchgoers' - Telegraph
Hear! Hear! althougth I would prefer it if it read 'Humanists'
Hear! Hear! althougth I would prefer it if it read 'Humanists'
Sunday, 7 February 2010
£500-a-duck bill for cull on behalf of Spain - Telegraph
This is absolutely quackers!!!!
They keep ducking out of view of the hunters.
£500-a-duck bill for cull on behalf of Spain - Telegraph
Ruddy Duck
White-headed Duck
They keep ducking out of view of the hunters.
£500-a-duck bill for cull on behalf of Spain - Telegraph
Ruddy Duck
White-headed Duck
Saturday, 6 February 2010
Is Europe heading for a debt meltdown? | This is Money
Stock markets tumbled worldwide yesterday amid fears that crippling debt levels in southern Europe could destabilise the euro and derail economic recovery.
Portugal and Spain became the latest Eurozone countries to cause a panic among investors, as economists cast doubt on their ability to control their national debt.
Some economists say the turbulence in Europe could be enough to tilt the UK back into recession.
Full Article: Is Europe heading for a debt meltdown? | This is Money
Portugal and Spain became the latest Eurozone countries to cause a panic among investors, as economists cast doubt on their ability to control their national debt.
Some economists say the turbulence in Europe could be enough to tilt the UK back into recession.
Full Article: Is Europe heading for a debt meltdown? | This is Money
Friday, 5 February 2010
Orihuela Medieval Market - Stops for Lunch.
We (Natalie and I ) went to the Orihuela Medieval Market this afternoon (5th Feb). Having seen the publicity in the local papers and received an email from Stefan Pokroppa (Ayuntamiento at Orihuela Costa) informing us of the free coach service today (5th Feb)to Orihuela for the residents of Orihuela Costa to attend the market, we thought it aught to be worth a visit.
We decided to make our own way there arriving at about 14.15 hrs. Admitedly this was after the official opening, which I understand was around about 11.30 hrs.
What a waste of our time and petrol in going.
It was a joke!
As I understood it, the market is supposed to be magnificent tourist attraction taking place over three days (Friday from the official opening, and then allday Saturday, and Sunday).
When we arrived almost 7 out of 10 of the stalls were closed. Presumably the stall holders decided that as they had had the opening ceremony now it was time for lunch, never mind the visitors that are coming'. Now I know that the majority of the shops in Orihuela still maintain the 14.00 to 16.30 hrs lunchtime, but surely at such an event as this the Council would have instructed the stall holders to remain open, until closing time tonight (Midnight I believe) as part of the celebration? Obviously there can't be events or acts running all the time but surely the stalls should be open 'All hours'.
Within 60 minutes of arriving we were back in the car heading back to Orihuela Costa. We are really glad we didn't use the Council's free coach service to the non-event!!!!! We would have been stranded with nothing to see waiting for the return bus.
That's it rant over. There are no photographs as it was not worth taking them, who wants to see closed stalls.
We decided to make our own way there arriving at about 14.15 hrs. Admitedly this was after the official opening, which I understand was around about 11.30 hrs.
What a waste of our time and petrol in going.
It was a joke!
As I understood it, the market is supposed to be magnificent tourist attraction taking place over three days (Friday from the official opening, and then allday Saturday, and Sunday).
When we arrived almost 7 out of 10 of the stalls were closed. Presumably the stall holders decided that as they had had the opening ceremony now it was time for lunch, never mind the visitors that are coming'. Now I know that the majority of the shops in Orihuela still maintain the 14.00 to 16.30 hrs lunchtime, but surely at such an event as this the Council would have instructed the stall holders to remain open, until closing time tonight (Midnight I believe) as part of the celebration? Obviously there can't be events or acts running all the time but surely the stalls should be open 'All hours'.
Within 60 minutes of arriving we were back in the car heading back to Orihuela Costa. We are really glad we didn't use the Council's free coach service to the non-event!!!!! We would have been stranded with nothing to see waiting for the return bus.
That's it rant over. There are no photographs as it was not worth taking them, who wants to see closed stalls.
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Anger as Cherie Blair spares devout man from jail - Times Online
Anger as Cherie Blair spares devout man from jail - Times Online
Being a follower of a religious belief does not mean that a person has greater morality, honesty or goodness than those who do not. The action of Cherie Booth ( Blair) shows a discrimination against humanists.
Complaint after Cherie Booth spares religious man jail - BBC
Being a follower of a religious belief does not mean that a person has greater morality, honesty or goodness than those who do not. The action of Cherie Booth ( Blair) shows a discrimination against humanists.
Complaint after Cherie Booth spares religious man jail - BBC
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